Mother and child are found dead

A friend discovered the bodies of mother and daughter

A woman and her nine-year-old daughter have been found dead at their home in Carryduff, just outside Belfast.

The bodies of Madeleine O'Neill and her daughter, Lauren, were found by a friend at their bungalow in Manse Park, just before midnight on Tuesday.

One theory police are considering is that Mrs O'Neill may have killed her child, before taking her own life.

Local priest Father Brian Waters said the family was very distressed. He said it was a "terrible tragedy".

"She has a family that have been left and they are distressed. My concerns are with the family and looking after their pastoral concerns at the moment."

It is understood that the body of Mrs O'Neill, who was aged in her 40s, and her daughter were found by a friend who called in to check on them.

The friend's motorcycle remains at the bungalow because he was too distressed by the discovery to ride it home.

It is understood postmortem examinations were carried out on their bodies on Tuesday, although it is not yet known how they died.

It is believed Mrs O'Neill and her husband had separated and the family had moved out of the house recently after deciding to sell it.

The house, which had evidence bags sitting outside it on Thursday morning, is still cordoned off by police.